


Waiting, steady heart

by avaloncat555



Category: Den lille Havfrue | The Little Mermaid - Hans Christian Andersen, Fairy Tales & Related Fandoms, Original Work
Genre: F/F, Fae & Fairies, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Friendship, Heartwarming, Little Mermaid Elements, M/M, Multi, Short One Shot, Urban Fantasy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-20 06:01:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13140564
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avaloncat555/pseuds/avaloncat555
Summary: Three friends await return of somebody very dear as winter solstice approaches. They aren't worried, for their mermaid is cunning and knows what to bargain for.





	Waiting, steady heart

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Owldork1998 (redlipstickkisses)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/redlipstickkisses/gifts).



> Christmas gift for my dear friend. It's fastly written and not all that goo, sorry.  
> It's based on our mutual chat and I doubt anybody will find it fun since there's not much story but still thanks for reading.

_‘’You are coming back, right?’’ He asks, hesitant and short of breath, not gazing at her empty, empty eyes, as starlight reflects off summer sea, waves gently crashing and washing over rough grey rocks, bathing his feet in foam and salt, while she remains dry as her form flickers on the edges, as if it will break and stretch over sea and sky._

_‘’Of course silly.’’ She says, laughing, and it is sweet and kind and low even as echo of thunder is contained within it, and her her palm cups his cheek and  messes up his orange hair, which already resembles bird’s nest, and it feels both like flesh and sandstorm._

_‘’I promised.’’ She says, emotions fading out of her voice as it becomes multitudes, as mask of sincerity fades away and all that is left is shallow mockery of feelings, and  crack of electricity, and he feels the weight of words, the bond shaped and forged so strong that world cannot deny it, as he immutable nature is changed to add new duty._

_‘’I hope you have good. And that-that you slay many enemies and claim many debts.’’ Just no firstborns please, he thinks as her smile grows as wide as crescent, as in ancient thing awaiting carnage on altar, as her shape breaks and shudders and becomes so so so much more._

_‘’Of course I will. It isn’t long before we are together again.’’ She speaks in voice of wind sweeping over shore, as she steps back and grows and changes and his heart  threatens to tear through his ribs as he sees what she is as she descends lower, lower, lower._

_‘’See you in winter.’’ Both say, one voice human, defined, other same as thousand, inhuman and so old, old and deep._

* * *

 

The alarm goes off, booming and ringing, before hand strikes, throwing it off the cupboard on floor with force that would have shattered it were it not for boon that prevents such incidents (it saved his parents loads of money, as their whole family seems to have grudge against alarm clocks, and  shirt never fitting him right is small price to pay for that).

His eyes opened, slow and groggy, and he threw blankets off himself, throwing head back as he yawned, stretching hands and legs, further stretching shirt that was already halfway to knees. After some rubbing his shoulders, back of neck and forehead to release some of tension and numbness contained within them.

‘’It is solstice!’’ He thought, jumping from the bed, almost  running to bathroom, pushing wild hair out of his eyes. He quickly got ready-another perk from bargain that left all his bacon semi-burned, warping time so washing face and teeth took below five seconds- and didn’t even bother with hair. That thing ate combs.

Four hours. That is how much they had until she came back. It was nothing for her-but then she was immortal, so centuries and seconds ranked up the same. Which was why they all were so careful not to mention how long six months  of separation were.

It was little things, he thought, as he sat in bathtub and rubbed oily, white bath salt over his tan skin, feeling tiny granules scrape and melt over his smooth body, relaxing thanks to soft, smoky scent of roses.

Things like whispering in class, mocking annoying professor. 

Waking up and checking your phone to find message containing hilarious meme or interesting article.

Listening to songs and arguing about  choreography in music video. Playing basketball and hearing her shouting encouragements and curses (thankfully not literal) on rival club.

Playfully insulting each other’s clothing.

Meeting with squad at park to go to their favorite  coffee shop.

Being hugged after winning surfing competition.

 Getting drunk (well at least mortal parts of their group) and singing offkey.

Going to cinema and whispering comments while crunching popcorns and getting shushed by everybody else.

Even most ordinary things felt terribly monotone and lacking when one of them was missing. They weren’t crying all the time, nor were they melancholy with each other-they were great friends after all- but  everybody liked bigger company.

And sometimes they all needed voice to confide in, somebody who’d understand and keep it secret-after all, in their group there were things they just couldn’t say to everybody. It was sort like friend moving away, only it happened once every year, as midsummer arrived ( _as her world called her back, as their power grew, as Wild Hunt rode on_ )

But now winter was here, and she was coming back, as she did previous year, as she would in future ( _she saved his life, carried him to sand and shore as if he was feather, dragging him through waves and foam and keeping him alive with her will-they will forever be bound, two of them_ ). And now they had to give her best welcome-until next year of course.

Once he was dry, and finished with clothing (it was horrible experience, choosing between shirts that made him look like kid dressing up in dad’s clothes and ones that looked like dresses, and putting away sweaters that were warm and beautiful but transformed in crop tops, leaving him with horrible color combination).

Then he grabbed phone and started sending messages.

* * *

 

He is already up and working on present ( _offering-bribe-racket_ his training whispers, but he dismisses it as usual) when message arrives. His lips tug in smile as he reads messy-haired boy’s question.

He touches bracelet he is working on- a thin, silver thread with seven moonstones- with copper thimble, painted purple and shudders slightly as he feels amulet’s magic ripple and envelope necklace, before he breaks off contact.

Second later phone buzzes.

_It’s amazing!!!_

_I’m telling you you must open shop for those things_

_Also, you are getting better with spells. This time image was in 3D and almost not transparent_

_She’’ll love it_

_Thanks for helping out_

_We going to cinema tomorrow?_

He smiles, tugging long, purple lock of hair behind pierced ears. Honestly, it is pretty easy charm, especially for somebody without any formal training. Spell was already present, he just had to refresh and empower it bit.

_Thnx._

_You are too nice  0_ 0 *blush*._

_Of course._

_Don’t look up schedule please._

_You’’ll love surprise :))._

_Mmmm.. I’’ll take you on your word_

_See you!_

_See you._

He smiled as he put down phone and finished work on bracelet in half hour. Usually aunt would call him down to breakfast already, but he told her  that he was working on present for one of his friends, so she tolerated it. She was willing to overlook pretty much everything if he started going out more, stopped worrying about his scars and started showing interest in charms and amulets-he would never be professional mage , for why bother with complicated, nonsensical spells and talismans  and poppets when you can be hairdresser, but he started to admit they could be useful.

He even got relationship out of it so his uncle was overjoyed. Even if he didn’t stop with ‘’whole goth thing’’.

He started  finishing touches on pearl earrings, and later  he would redye his hair and help out with wards on house and blessings on Christmas tree ornaments.

* * *

 

_First off, did you get enough sleep tonight????_

_Second, got gift ready?_

_WTF_  
WTF DUDE  
ITS TODAY  
WHTAAAAGHHH

_Hey_

_Tone done capital letters_

_Also_

_I’m guessing you again didn’t get 8 hours of sleep_

_No_

_I had seven episodes to catch up on_

_BUT OMG I FORGOT  
I CAN’T BELIEVE_

_WHAT AM I GONNA DO_

_Stop hyperventilating firs_

_Then go and get smth_

_Call when you’re done_

_Ok!_

_Call you later!_

Oh No. No no no. How the fuck could she forget. Of all days, of all people.... It could only happen to her, of course, she thought  while treading  fingers through pink and green hair and adjusting glasses.

‘’Shit. What am I going to do?’’ This is what she got for being complacent and wasting time. She knew, but noo, she had to read that article about newest robot sent to Mars, she had to stare at map of stars for nth time, she had to draw little more, she had to watch Doctor Who....

Calm down, calm down, calm down. She got this. She could do this. Of course she could.. She just needed to go out and buy something great. It wouldn’t be so hard.

Only what was good enough?

Ugh, they were never going to stop teasing her about this.

 

* * *

 

‘’Did you get eggs, dear?’’ Old woman called out as she was cutting meat, straining to see properly, steel grey hair falling in front of them. She was going to need better glasses again, she thought as footsteps echoed through kitchen, and felt smooth, muscular arms wrap around her.

‘’Of course, sweetheart.’’ Creature that looked like young man but was so so much older, with such empty eyes, wrapped his arms around her fragile waist, careful not to touch iron knife she was holding, giving her kiss that barely tasted of things dying, silver and spring rain.

‘’Get lost, pest. We have guests to prepare for.’’ He laughed, a thing that sounded utterly human and not at all rhapsody of sighs and cries and war drums it did decades ago when she first met him, and she hit him with wet rag.

‘’I think I have few things below sithen they would love. Should I bring them out?’’ He asked, setting down groceries and arranging plates in washing machine.

‘’As long it doesn’t kill anybody.’’ She didn’t need to turn to see her husband was rolling his eyes. _Sidhe_ , she thought.

 

* * *

 

 

_‘’Follow me.’’ Man said, his white and black scales shining in cold water, eyes red as blood, broken horns rising from tuft of grey hair. He was boy, truly, looking about twenty and barely century old.  But still she followed him._

_They were swimming beneath the Arctic Ocean-in sense. The world was made of layers, and one humans saw and knew was just the top, nothing but shallow of great depths, a illusion and reflection of reality barely held together from shattering how weak it was._

_They, on the other hand, were now at the bottom, swimming through true world, through everything ocean was-essence of water, dark, cold, salt and life. Laws of nature as men knew it had no place here, where ocean lived and willed._

_They swam down, down, down, in darkness that rejoiced their coming, in depths that sang of new visitors, passing giggling icebergs, dancing foam, passing nymphs and elementals and spirits and shapes that were drafts for what would later become species of mortal fish._

_She had several forms through her short existence. She was serpent of thousand heads swimming in black holes, comet of gold tearing through vacuum of space,  ten thousand quicksilver dancers running over moons and asteroids. She was song dwelling in magma, dwarf crafting chain mails beneath mountains, and more recently mermaid playing and singing in warm, open sea._

_But now, she was great, hulking mass of things that could barely be called flesh, with head of seventy two round triangles as well as other things that should be logically impossible, such as cold flames for eyes and short giants for hands and towers of impossible architecture growing like forest on her back._

_It was ploy, of course, to scare lesser primordials. Not all would be willing to see one of Gentry so deep within their world. Fair Folk were soulless, alien things from beyond the Creation, visiting mortal world to play gambles and bargain, taking on physical forms and mindsets that suited their task. Or made it harder, depending how much challenge they wanted. Not a type of creature that should be swimming through depths of water’s essence._

_But here they were at bottom of abyss, near cave rooted deep in ground, passing through entrance even if it was size of mouse. She followed man (often he looked like one. But sometimes she glimpsed dragon, and man dying and bleeding while alien claws wrapped around his red, red blood and feminine voice ordered ‘’Burn it all down.’’) trusting him to lead her through shifting corridors of Priestess’s lair._

_And he did. They were at center of cave, in hall of blue stone where there was no light, only ice, thousand trinkets and crushing weight of sea. And in center stood Her._

_There were things at bottom of the Ocean. Embodiments of darkness. Ancient spirits crawling and devouring. Personifications of ice. Gods of sea and death. But most dangerous and twisted of them all was Priestess._

_Small fae advanced towards her, her guise same as always- a tiny, Inuit woman wrapped in dark veils and furs, necklace of names and titles round the throat, gold and navy wings on back, hair like ink, swaying and containing Northern Lights, dark skin covered in frost and eyes reflections of abyss, deep blue and filled with hungry things swimming. But mermaid took step back, for all her form was more horrible._

_She knew superior predator when she saw one. Even if they weren’t in Priestess’s place of power she wouldn’t dare attack her ( she wondered, how did this creature manage to gain lair here, but Priestess laughed and said she made bargain with Lady Sedna, and bargain with Abyss itself . Old things, powerful things, things that should have no fear-yet mermaid couldn’t shake off belief priestess would devour them were they not careful).  Priestess was similar to her- as young as moon, maybe little older, of minor power and solitary fae._

_But she was the Priestess. She bargained away her existence, name and service to Their Majesty, Empty Existence, Highest of Monarchs, to become vessel and messenger of It’s will, handmaiden of omnipotent  High Queen that presided over all fey and all courts of half the fae (and other half, one mermaid served, still bowed when Empty Existence passed, though they had their own Queen, their own Majesty). What she gained from that mermaid couldn’t know-but there were whispers, of Creation defied and death on it’s knees, of Creators worried and mortals protected forever more._

_And she didn’t stop. Priestess’s power was similar to that of mermaid-in contest of pure strength mermaid could possibly win, or at least make draw. But Priestess bargained and bargained with so many powers, gave up so much and  reaped so many debts that army of fae couldn’t stand against her._

_Fae hungered-it was their nature and way, if they could be described with some metaphor so mortals could understand them (it wasn’t complete of course). But whereas fae like mermaid would be satisfied once they had their fill, even if it took storm and empire to feed them, Priestess would never stop. Her hunger was that of human, reeking of greed and ambition, never stopping just growing, so that her maws could devour realities and yet demand more (mermaid was –ally, and on good terms with Ocean, to put it in human terms, as was priestess, yet mermaid knew she could never truly harm the Sea- so great it was, more then water and bedrock, and idea spanning multiverses. It wasn’t worried about her in slightest._

_Yet Sea feared Priestess)._

_And that was why she came to her. Mermaid saw Priestess’s form, all right edges and angles and knuckles, saw veins underneath skin and cells of muscles, heard way Priestess spoke and way she laughed-like a human might do. Of all fae, only Priestess understood humanity, as they would demand to be understood, enough to craft body and mindset that would allow fae to mask as one without being noticed at all._

_(Once, mermaid saw picture, held on cave wall-a dozen or more humans, of various species, grinning and hugging and laughing._

_There was girl in photo, clutching boy’s arm and hugging smaller boy with bony horns and black-white scales and red eyes, with long black hair and dark blue eyes._

_Eyes as empty and void of soul as of all fae’s were)._

_‘’Here is your payment, lady.’’ Mermaid said, bowing and giving sack of items she collected over six human months. Priestess hummed and took it, smiling-not as predator, with too wide and sharp teeth, but as human might, with sweetness and honesty and no danger._

_‘’Great.  You will wait a little, won’t you? Until I prepare everything.’’ She asked, and mermaid agreed.  Both of them were civil, but they were fae, and counted small debts and payments with each sentence.  Priestess departed for depths of cave, followed by her son-for some reason, Priestess refused to do magic like all primordials did, with will and desire, changing what was to suit her with thought, but as sorceress, with spells and charms and sigils and potions. mermaid could only wait._

_‘’Here it is. You will use it for good, won’t you?’’ Priestess asked, bringing shining blue gem to mermaid. Of all fae, she was only one to mermaid’s knowledge that tried to learn what morals were-things that still mermaid couldn’t begin to comprehend no matter how much it was explained to her. But Priestess insisted on trying to be good, whatever it meant._

_‘’I will try. It won’t end like first story, at least.’’ Mermaid said, taking charm from arms that bore one ring on each hand-rings that thrummed of power and sacrifice and oaths._

_‘’It’s messy business, letting yourself fall in tales. Story likes patterns. Songs are easier, epic ones warriors tell around fires in my experience. But at least they bring you fame. Now please leave, I have duty to attend to in silence’’ Priestess was famous among fae, in way public secrets were, and tales of monsters under beds, and famous drug dealers. Buts she wanted more, more, more._

_(Mermaid wasn’t sure why priestess helped her.  But she thought it had something to do with time Priestess mentioned she knew human like mermaid did, possessed such bond)._

_Mermaid said her greetings and quickly departed, leaving Priestess and her halfbreed son to darkness, and silence, and cold, and lonely weight of merciless sea._

* * *

 

The water broke and they gasped.

They saw her before. But always it was as if they saw he for first time. Always they gasped, and cried, and fell to their knees, willing to rip out their hearts for her sake.

Body of moonlight and summer sung, glinting and shining and burning. Tail wide and of thousand colors human eye shouldn’t see, scales of sea glass and shells. Eyes as opals, lighting crackling inside. Hair of stormclouds, black and grey and loud, wind and sand forming cloak with seaweed growing from her back. Perfect shape, perfect form that glinted and flowed like water, a sea storm and sailor drowning and children wasting away and dolphins playing within her, her power flowing, bending, breaking, until they were only hers, hers, hers.....

And then blue light shone, and in front of them stood mundane girl of their age, girl who laughed with voice like voice, and hugged her best friend, messing up his orange hair even more as he cried out in all his three voices ( his normal one, and bass and soprano she gave him as prank and couldn’t undo later), before taking her girlfriend, though she was taller and wider then mermaid, and kissing her with lips that didn’t taste of thunder, salt and heartbreak.

Then they went to roller coaster, on double date in new amusement park, and after that at lunch with old woman and her young-old husband on house on top of hill.

* * *

 

_Away, on endless lake shrouded in mists, a boat travels aimless._

_In it, an old man’s corpse sits, skeleton already, wasted away and travelling mythic waters._

_Priestess holds it and weeps for her lost youth._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed it, please review.  
> Happy Holidays!


End file.
